Page 25 - Studio International - October 1967

Correspondence

Who are the art patrons?
Sir,
Both as someone involved in the phenomenon of art
and a Jew, I find David Sylvester (in your September
issue) positively odd in proposing the Philistinism
or snobbery of 'wealthy Jews' as a major reason for
the decline of private patronage of art in England.
Since British Jews number half a million, in a
population of some 45 millions, it is a heavy burden to
bear. True, in the United States the much larger
Jewish community plays a major role in collecting
modern and experimental art; in Toronto, from which
I have just returned, I was informed that eighty per
cent of the collectors were Jewish.
But Mr Sylvester only skirmishes with the whole of
this fascinating subject. American patronage of
current art, including the Jewish involvement, is
basically nouveau-richism (to coin an ugly phrase).
Ever since the rise of the middle-class all European
nations have gone through this experience during
periods of expansion. We did in the 19th century,
Italy and Holland much earlier, and so on. Art is Oscillon 36 by Ben F. Laposky Oscillon 18 by Ben F. Laposky
collected for various reasons, among which status-
seeking is high on the list of priorities. In America
being in the swing of modern art is a vital status was first suggested by electronic engineers in 1937. to do so, that only 'bad' forgeries are discovered. In
symbol-it is not in Britain. As a society we are no However, little seems to have been done with the this case, 'good' forgeries remain known as 'originals'.
longer impressed by wealth or the symbols of wealth- technique until my own development of the oscillons. Once the problem has been re-stated in this way, it
whether inherited or earned (which for all I know may My work has not as yet involved use of the computer, may not be brushed aside quite so easily.
be a key to our economic decline). partly because of the cost and because I do not have Assume, then, that a painting which had been ad-
Among the reasons why our artists are 'in a void', as direct access to the kind of setup required. I have mired for some time as being the work of a particular
Sylvester puts it, is that they no longer have a recog- been corresponding with others interested in com- master was found by means of some subtle scientific
nizable role in our society-neither as creators puter art, including Edmund Berkeley, editor of test to have been painted at a much later date. Just
of national or religious symbols, as decorators of Computers and Automation magazine, and L. Mezei, what kind of difference would/could/should this
private or public places, nor as props to the egos of of Toronto, who conducted a symposium on Com- discovery make? And to whom?
the ambitiously wealthy. But to apportion so much puter Art last year in Canada. Very truly yours,
blame or responsibility to the tiny group of Jews in In some ways, I believe my method is perhaps more August J. Fry
our midst seems a little unbalanced-or, since the in line with artistic effort than use of a computer. The Pal estri n astraat 25
accuser is himself a Jew, a version of the ancient oscillons are composed by the selection and control Amsterdam
legend whereby the pious Jew must bear the crimes of the input instruments involved, somewhat analo-
of mankind. gous to the production of music by an orchestra. I am
Yours faithfully, primarily an artist, though interested in science,
Charles S. Spencer having worked in flat design, lettering and drafting. The case for polytechnics
London, N.W.8. I have seen only a few photographs of Nam June
Paik's TV traces, and regard them to be somewhat Dear Sir,
elementary in their approach. I believe the oscillons The Case for Polytechnics as argued by Askham and
are a more advanced and further developed form of Thubron (Studio International, September issue) is
`Electronic abstractions' oscillographic art. I understand a Los Angeles man, seriously undermined by the statement 'It is only by
J. Whitney, has been doing something with a com- closely integrated working with Universities and/or
Dear Sir, puter with oscillographic read out, photographing the Technical Colleges that the needs of the art school
In the May 1967 issue of Studio International,1 note an results on movie film. He has been supported by a can be adequately met'. The vagueness here suggests
article on `Computer Art' by Jasia Reichardt. In it is foundation grant and a computer manufacturer. My that the differences between universities and Tech-
mentioned a comment by Nam June Paik about the work has not been underwritten by anyone else, nical colleges has not been sufficiently realised. One
use of the cathode ray tube in art. I thought you might such difference concerns the establishment of
whether foundation, educational institution, industrial
be interested in what has already been done else- advanced research facilities which are normally
subsidy, or otherwise.
where in this field. available in universities and form an essential part of
The oscillons can have a very kinetic nature, undu-
Since 1950I have been experimenting with and the educational system, and as Thubron would agree
lating, shifting, and almost dancing effects can be
creating new art forms I call 'electronic abstractions' is an equally important part of art education. However
seen in many displays.
or 'oscillons'. This involves use of especially modified it has been clearly stated that there are to be no
Very truly yours,
cathode ray oscilloscopes and various other elec- such research facilities available in polytechnics, the
Ben F. Laposky
tronic instruments to the inputs of the 'scopes. The Cherokee, operation being solely concerned with higher level
oscillons are modified combinations of basic electronic technological education.
Iowa,
waveforms, such as the sinewave, sawtooth, square The practical application of such a scheme is quite
U.S.A.
wave, etc. The best forms are photographed for evidently uneconomic in a great many cases and
display, either colour or black and white. further, it is considerably against the `evolutionary
Exhibits of various kinds of the oscillons have been development' (Askham/Thubron's phrase) so far
displayed over 140 times, including showings in four arrived at by a number of advanced art colleges. This
`Bad' and 'good' forgeries
countries besides all over the United States. The was seen to be so after a meeting of some sixty
oscillons have been widely published in America and Dear Sirs, representatives from art colleges throughout the
abroad, in magazines, books, graphic arts uses, and Re: 'Art Prices Current: Forgeries and forgers' by country, under the chairmanship of H. L. Elvin
in other ways. George Savage, July/August 1967, pp. 62-63 (Director of the Institute of Education, London
The idea of using electronic oscillograms for design But let us assume, and it certainly is not extravagant University) which was recently held at the I.C.A., for
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